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England batsman Michael Vaughan has been voted Player of the Year by the Professional Cricketers’ Association.Vaughan scored 900 Test runs at an average of 90 in his seven Test matches this summer, with four centuries and two fifties.The other four players nominated were Nick Knight (Warwickshire), Ronnie Irani (Essex) Matthew Hoggard (Yorkshire) and Mike Hussey (Northants).Young Player of the Year was Worcestershire’s Kabir Ali. James Anderson (Lancashire), Jim Troughton (Warwickshire), Rikki Clarke (Surrey), and Gordon Muchall (Durham) were the other players nominated for this award.

Customs Academy qualified for the quarterfinal of the 17th Karachi Gymkhana Callmate Festival, beating two-time champions Airport Gymkhana by 97 runs Saturday.Airport Gymkhana won the toss and put the Customs into bat but with Afsar Nawaz (68), Azher Shafiq (53), Kashif Saddiq (42) and Aamir Bashir unbeaten with 32, Customs ran up a total of 223 for five wickets in their 25 allotted overs.Left-arm Asif Mujtaba bagged two for 40 for Airport Gymkhana.Chasing 224 for victory Airport Gymkhana lost four wickets for 56. Although Ahmed Zeeshan (29) and Atif Zaidi (21), tried their level best to stem the tide, Airport Gymkhana never really recovered form their early setback and were dismissed for 126 runs in 24.2 overs.Afsar Nawaz three for nine, Nisar Abbas two for 10 and Imran Ali two for 18, bowled a tidy line and length for the winners.With this victory three teams, Airport Gymkhana, Dewan Mushtaq Sugar Mills and Customs finished their group matches with four points apiece. However, Customs lying third till Friday evening with win and one defeat, topped the ladder with a plus 3.36 run rate. Dewan Mushtaq Sugar Mills finished off as runner-up with plus 1.79 run rate while Airport Gymkhana slipped down the ladder to minus 1.18 and were squeezed out from the quarter-finals.Sunday’s fixture: Sui Gas v KESC 9.00 a.m; Al Noor Gymkhana v Baqai Dolphins at 1-30 p.m.Impressive DolphinsBaqai Dolphins moved into the quarterfinals of the Dalpat R. Sonavaria Ramazan Cricket Trophy, beating Asghar Ali Shah CC by 80 runs Saturday. Batting first, Baqai Dolphins recovered after a bad start and with Hassan Raza (44), Mohammad Imran (42), Anwar Saeed (31) and Atiq uz Zaman (27) scoring freely, reached 167 for eight wickets in 20 overs. Ahmed Iqbal bagged three wickets for 16 runs.In reply Asghar Ali Shah CC were restricted to 87 runs for seven wickets at the end of their 20 overs. Nadeem Babar (27) and Omair-ul Haq (23), were the only two batsmen who batted with confidence. Sohaib Hashmi three for 12 and Atif Maqbool two for 23, were the main wicket takers for the winners.Babar grabs hat trickCantt Sports registered a 59- run victory over Khatri Sports in the Seventh Danish Trophy Ramazan tournament played Saturday.Batting first Cantt Sports reached 139 for six in their 20 overs through Khursheed Malik (35) and Zeeshan Khalil (28). Right-arm medium pacer Baber Rehman had figures of three for 26, which included a hat trick.Khatri Sports in reply could not face the bowling of Taleem Shah two for 18, Mohammad Javeed two for 22 and Tariq Mahmood two for 19 and were skittled out for 80 runs in 19 overs.Sunday’s fixture: KGA Gymkhana v Mohammad Hussain CC 1.00 p.m.Afzal Sports in semisAfzal Sports registering their third win in the four matches played, qualified for the semifinals of the Ford & Lord Trophy Ramazan cricket tournament played Saturday after handing out an eight-wicket defeat to Shaheen Colts.Shaheen Colts batting first, scored 127 all out in 20 overs with Irfan Qureshi (28) and Mohsin Sultan (23) getting amongst the runs.Left-arm Jaffer Qureshi bagged three wickets for 24 runs. In reply Afzal Sports reached the winning score of 128 for two wickets in 17.5 overs. Jaffer Qureshi with a quick knock of 68 runs, steered his team to victory. Talha Shabbir picked up both the wickets that fell for only 23 runs.Sunday’s fixture: Sadiq Sports v Khatri Sports 1-30 p.m.Tooba Sports winTooba Sports beat Afzal Sports by four wickets and Jamshed CC beat Young Pak Flag by 28 runs in the Fourth Sundip Trophy tournament played Friday.Afzal Sports batting first scored 160 for four in their 20 overs through Eshan (63) and Zahidulah (33). Nazir Butt captured two wickets for 26 runs.In reply, Tooba Sports reached the winning total of 161, losing six wickets after 19.1 overs.Raja Mushtaq hammered (50) with Shahid Baig and Nasir Sheerazi notching up 35 runs apiece.In the other encounter, Jamshed CC reached 157 for seven in their 20 overs with Arif Akram (66) and M. Kamran (26) batting well. Usman Khan picked up three wickets for 28.Young Pak Flag in reply could only muster up 129 for eight wickets. Imran Shams hit up 50 runs and Saqib Mehmood 20.Aamir Ahmed three for 22 was the most successful bowler for the winners.

Surrey are well on the way to another Championship win after forcing Warwickshire to follow on at The Oval. After a second double century in consecutive games from Mark Ramprakash set up a first-innings total of 475, James Ormond (five for 116) and Saqlain Mushtaq (four for 97) combined to dismiss the hosts for 293. Neil Smith (74) was top scorer for Warwickshire, who ended the day on 165 for three in their second innings, still 17 runs behind. Mike Powell is on 66 not out.A century from Neil Burns carried Leicestershire to within 11 runs of Hampshire’s first-innings total at Grace Road, before Phil DeFreitas got amongst the visitors’ top order in their second innings. He took three for 31 as Hampshire closed on 102 for four, 113 runs ahead. Captain Robin Smith is unbeaten on 40.Sussex have made a much better fist of their second innings against Kent at Hove than they did of their first. After Ed Smith made 141 to give Kent a first-innings lead of 204, Sussex looked to be struggling terminally at 54 for three. However Murray Goodwin (108*) and Timothy Ambrose (101*) have compiled an unbroken double century partnership for the fourth wicket to put the hosts back into contention.It does not look as if Yorkshire are going to get their first win of the season against Somerset. They trail by 240 with four wickets intact. Replying to Somerset’s 498 for nine declared, Yorkshire are 258 for six with half centuries for Darren Lehmann, Richard Blakey and Vic Craven.In Division Two, Durham ended their barren spell and at the same time brought Derbyshire down to earth with an 89 run win. There were four wickets for Kevin Dean as Durham were bowled out for 203 in their second innings, leaving Derbyshire to score 299 to win. They got off to a reasonable start with a 58 run opening partnership between Stephen Stubbings (30) and Michael Di Venuto (40), but although there were other useful contributions down the order there was nobody fashioning the big innings around which everyone else could bat and Durham got home inside three days.Leaders Essex are in all sorts of trouble against Worcestershire. They trail by 61 with five second innings wickets in hand after reaching 115 for five. Earlier Worcestershire had taken their first innings to 373 with Steve Rhodes scoring 56. There was a maiden championship half century for Mark Pettini in the Essex second innings.Andy Strauss scored 82 and Sven Koenig 59 as Middlesex reached 297 for nine against Gloucestershire, but they still trail by 91. So far there have been five wickets for Ian Fisher. While that match is heading for a draw, it would seem, Nottinghamshire have beaten Glamorgan by seven wickets. They bowled out Glamorgan for 211 despite 55 from Matthew Maynard. There were five wickets for Paul Franks on his return after a lengthy injury. Set 97 to win, Jason Gallian was unbeaten on 55 when his side achieved their victory.

Somerset Sabres gave a spirited display in their final NUL National League match of the season at the County Ground on Sunday to record their third successive victory when they beat Durham Dynamos by 175 runs.After winning the toss and batting first the Sabres lost Piran Holloway in the first over and Jamie Cox followed with the score on 27 both victims of Steve Harmison who looked dangerous.Twenty one year old Matt Wood then steadied the situation. The young Devonian shared a third wicket partnership of 53 with Mike Burns (54), he put on 84 for the fourth wicket with Keith Parsons(40) and then added 50 for the sixth wicket with Rob Turner(21).Wood remained unbeaten on 88 when the innings closed with the Cidermen on 254 for 6.When the Dynamos batted they were quickly in trouble and lost Ashley Thorpe with the score on 7 when he was caught by Keith Parsons off the bowling of Simon Francis.Michael Gough and Brad Hodge then took the visitors onto 40 when Gough was trapped LBW by Matt Bulbeck.With the score on 54 Hodge became another of Bulbeck’s victims, and 4 runs later Gordon Muchal followed the Australian back to the pavilion.The introduction of Pete Trego into the attack for the fifteenth over resulted in a two wicket maiden as the young all rounder bowled Gary Pratt with his first delivery and followed it up with another wicket later in the over when Burns snapped up a sharp chance at mid off to see the back of Ian Pattison.From 64 for 6 there was no way back for the Dynamos who were eventually all out for 79 in the 22nd over to send a large crowd home from the County Ground with happy memories to carry through the winter.After the match as large crowds stood on the pitch in front of the Colin Atkinson Pavilion Somerset coach Kevin Shine told me: "This was a good way to finish the season and it has sent everybody home feeling good. The way we played today is what we have talked about all season and its just a pity that it has come too late to save us."He continued: "We have won our last three NUL games and this will give us a good starting point for next season when we can hopefully carry it on."Mike Burns, who took over as captain from Jamie Cox who was hit on the hand when he was batting told me: "The boys played well today, we batted well and then bowled in the right places and fielded well. It’s just a pity that we haven’t put it together like this earlier on in the season."Regarding this season he told me: "We have been very unlucky with injuries to players at crucial times, and then the weather has intervened in several matches. I have played consistently myself but would have liked to have scored 200 more runs."Looking forward to 2003 he told me: "We have got some quality players and shouldn’t be in the second division. We will be an unknown quantity to several of the sides and will be looking to bounce straight back up."Pete Trego, who at one stage had figures of 3 wickets for one run but ended with 3 for 14 told me: "I really am very happy with the way things have gone for me today. It’s been good to get some wickets, and it helped me coming onto bowl with a newer ball which swung a bit for me."Chief executive Peter Anderson told me: "This has been a really good result to finish with and I hope that it sends everybody home on a happy note. We all know what it is that has to be done next season and we will do it."

Kalabagan Krira Chakra (KCC) was lucky to get away with a 23 run win over Young Pegasus in a low scoring match of GrameenPhone Premier League staged at BNS today. Two important contributions from all rounder Mushfiqur Rahman and left-arm offie Manjural Islam Rana helped KCC get full points, despite they managed only 163 from 44.4 overs.The target was easy and achievable on this flat track, but spinner Manjural Islam Rana and Mosaddek Hossain made it difficult, rolling up as real killers for KCC with their spectacular combination of off and leg spin from both ends. Except Shamimul Haq (28), Jamal Faisal (24) and Tanvir Alam (18), no batsmen could get along with the guile of those two bowlers.Pegasus were bundled out for 140 in 40.4 overs.Mosaddek mauled in the Pegasus front line removing 3 for 19 from his ten while Manjural Islam Rana polished off the tail, claiming 4 for 10 from his 6.4 overs.KCC, losing the toss early in the morning, batted first, made a slow but steady start. Their first top four batsmen got by with reasonable totals. Among them Mushfiqur Rahman top scored 60 off 89 balls while Rafiqul Islam (25), Nahidul Haq (23) and Nasirul Alam (25) all made some contribution, but the rest seven batsmen couldn’t even reached the double figure.Mushfiqur, though didn’t hammer any boundary, was clever in his approach, didn’t go for any risky venture, relied on only singles and twos most of the time. He was correctly adjudged for the man-of-the-match. For Pegasus Saifullah Khan captured 2 for 28 where Mahbub Alam claimed 2 for 29.

Test matches have offered little success for Akram Khan, the veteran batsman of Bangladesh. The last match he played was against Zimbabwe and he disappointed his hometown crowd, scoring only 2 & 4 in that Test in Chittagong. He was ruled out for the next away series to New Zealand. Not only that, he was demoted to Bangladesh-A team that were setting off for West Indies to participate in Busta Shield Cup.Akram’s highest Test score is 44 that is against Zimbabwe in April 2001 at Harare. It looked it had been quite a big task for this burly batsman to get by with a good total against those teams, where Habibul Bashar or Aminul Islam came up with some very high-quality knocks. One can’t belittle Akram Khan’s talents or his contributions for his country. He was reckoned to be the stalwart in Bangladesh batting line-up and he proved his importance in the squad for a good number of occasions.Trevor Chappell, the coach earlier, repeatedly told about Akram Khan’s lack of concentration in batting. It is true in some respect that in the following innings (After Trevor said this) Akram couldn’t even pulled off the least success in the longer version. Sanwar Hossain occupied his seat, managed to make a grade in New Zealand, but became a downright failure in the series against Pakistan.Before flying away to West Indies for Busta Cup Akram gave more attention on his batting that was somewhat lost it’s rhythm a bit. The tour brought some jubilant moments for this ace batsman, as he saw more than 400 runs beside his name when the tournament was over. In GrameenPhone Premier league this year he carried off very well, provided his team Abahani with several match-winning knocks (Two blitzing centuries), which cleared the fact that he is finding himself again.He was fretting too much about his fitness that might reflect on his batting, but it is over now. Akram is working hard on fitness and sharing more hours with batting practice. He is trying to work up his stamina also because the tour to Sri Lanka is at hand. Bangladesh team need someone very capable at hanging on to the crease and we all know Akram can do that in the vital number five position (We saw it in Zimbabwe, April 2001).He must be looking for a gateway for his familiar position before Bangladesh heads off for Colombo in July the 12th.

New Zealand Under-19 representative Jordan Sheed will make his first-class debut for Otago in next week’s State Championship match against Canterbury in Alexandra.Sheed, a tall middle-order batsman and occasional leg-spin bowler, made one State Shield appearance for Otago in January before the ICC Under-19 World Cup was played in New Zealand.Otago coach Glenn Turner has made a number of changes to the team which drew with England last week.In a move designed to bolster the batting Turner has also named Scott Waide, a powerfully built batting all-rounder, in the side which features the return of wicket-keeper Martyn Croy and left-arm seamer Neil Rushton.Not required next week are Simon Beare and Rob Smith, while Andrew Hore – who missed the England game because of personal commitments elsewhere – has failed to gain a place. Pace bowler James McMillan is unavailable because of injury.The Otago team for the match against Canterbury is: Craig Cumming (captain), Robbie Lawson, Chris Gaffaney, Brendon McCullum, Jordan Sheed, Martyn Croy, Nathan Morland, Craig Pryor, Scott Waide, David Sewell, Neil Rushton, Kerry Walsmley.The game will now be played Tuesday March 12-15, having been pushed back a day to allow Canterbury an additional day to prepare after its match against England.

The changing of the guard in Australia’s international playing ranks has received further expression today with an unprecedented seven revisions made to the annual list of Australian Cricket Board (ACB) contract holders.After a season that saw sweeping changes to the personnel in the country’s one-day international side, a number of long-serving international players have surrendered their status as contract holders to several members of the new wave of cricketers beginning to make their mark in Australia.Queensland off spinner Nathan Hauritz and batsman Jimmy Maher, Tasmanian all-rounder Shane Watson, and Western Australian paceman Brad Williams head the list of newcomers, continuing their accession into elite company by securing places on the annual contract list for the first time.Western Australian opening batsman Mike Hussey is also among today’s winners after being recalled to a list on which he won inclusion for a single 12-month period two years ago.And confirmation of Queensland fast bowler Andy Bichel’s status as one of Australia’s leading contemporary players has similarly been provided with his recall to the full list for the first time in two years. Bichel was not included on last year’s original list, and only formally won back his contract after appearing in three successive Test matches for Australia during the 2001-02 international season.New South Wales paceman Stuart Clark has meanwhile added to the sense of change by supplanting Ashley Noffke as the ‘bolter’ in this year’s field and gaining a contract at the end of his first full season of first-class cricket. A tall, accurate right armer, Clark captured 45 first-class wickets to be a standout player at domestic level in 2001-02, after appearing in a total of only 10 first-class games to that point of his career.”The contract will give me some extra confidence going into the new season because I’ll know that I’m in the selectors eyes for higher honours in the future,” said Clark of his elevation today.”I have been in the mix for a Blues pace bowling spot for a while, but it was only this year that I was able to grab my opportunities.”I was happy with my form and consistency in both forms of the game last season and hopefully I can continue that for the Blues next year.”Alongside Noffke, those out of favour in the shake-up are former international players Michael Slater, Damien Fleming, Colin Miller, Greg Blewett, Simon Katich and Shane Lee.New South Wales, with eight representatives, remains the state with the most players on the list. Queensland’s increasingly strong contribution to national squads has also been reflected with the inclusion of six of its players, while Western Australia maintains a significant presence of its own with five.Two players are included from each of the three remaining states, ensuring that the 2002-03 list contains the lowest number of Victorian representatives since the central contract system was formally introduced three years ago.The 25 elite ACB contracts have come to represent hotly contested property in Australian cricket circles over recent seasons. Each of the contracts now offers its holder a base salary of $A110,000 as well as providing recognition of the player’s place among the core group of cricketers from which Australian Test and one-day international teams will be selected over the following 12-month period.In accordance with a formula specified in the compact between the ACB and the country’s player-representative body, the Australian Cricketers’ Association, the highest ranked player among the group of 25 will receive a salary of $440,000 as his base income for the next year.The full list of 2002-03 ACB contracted players is: Michael Bevan (NSW), Andy Bichel (Qld), Nathan Bracken (NSW), Stuart Clark (NSW), Adam Gilchrist (WA), Jason Gillespie (SA), Ian Harvey (Vic), Nathan Hauritz (Qld), Matthew Hayden (Qld), Mike Hussey (WA), Justin Langer (WA), Brett Lee (NSW), Darren Lehmann (SA), Martin Love (Qld), Stuart MacGill (NSW), Glenn McGrath (NSW), Jimmy Maher (Qld), Damien Martyn (WA), Ricky Ponting (Tas), Andrew Symonds (Qld), Shane Warne (Vic), Shane Watson (Tas), Mark Waugh (NSW), Steve Waugh (NSW), Brad Williams (WA).

Orissa dismissed the challenge from Jammu & Kashmir within thefirst four days of their scheduled five-day Ranji Trophy pre-quarter-final match played at the Barabati Stadium, Cuttackon Wednesday. Orissa, who completed an emphatic 420-run victory,will now take on Madhya Pradesh in the quarter-final to be playedfrom March 22 to 26.Resuming at 228/4, Orissa declared their second innings closedat 299/4. Sanjay Raul was unbeaten on 113 and Debashish Mohantyon 50. Required to make 650 runs in the fourth innings for amost improbable victory, J&K were bowled out for just 229 in 76.4 overs. Kavaljit Singh came good again in the second innings too,making 67 runs. V Taggar (33), D Mahajan (32) and Shashi Kumar(39) were the other batsmen to get amongst the runs.Debashish Mohanty (3/21) and SK Satpathy (4/51) shared the bowling honours. Thus J&K’s amazing run in the Ranji Trophy – which sawthem qualifying for the knock out stage for the first time in 41years – came to an end.

England captain Nasser Hussain has been ruled out of the remaining Testseries against Pakistan and possibly the NatWest Series after breaking histhumb at Lord’s this morning.Hussain was taken to hospital after his hand was struck by deliveries fromWaqar Younis and then Shoaib Akhtar. He required on-the-field treatment fromphysio Dean Conway and was taken to hospital for a precautionary X-rayduring the luncheon interval where a bone in his right thumb was found to befractured.He will take no further part in the current Test at Lord’s and will sit outthe Second Test at Old Trafford, freeing him up to attend the birth of hisfirst baby. It remains unclear whether he will play any part in the NatWestSeries involving Australia and Pakistan.Hussain said: “I was enjoying the occasion and to have four to five weeks off is hugely disappointing – at least it happened at the end of the innings rather than the beginning,” said Hussain.”The ball hit me full on the thumb and there is nowhere for it to go,especially when you are hit by someone like Shoaib Akhtar.”I’m seeing a specialist in the week but our physio doesn’t seem to think Iwill need an operation so it’s really just about rest and batting again onceyou’re not in pain.”Alec Stewart takes over as captain at Lord’s and selectors will announcetheir choice of stand-in captain for the Old Trafford Test match nearer thetime.Hussain broke his hand in 1999 while fielding in the First Test Match asEngland captain against New Zealand at Lord’s. He missed the next Test atOld Trafford, with Mark Butcher taking over as captain.Hussain later brushed aside any suggestion that he is especially susceptible tobreaks or that he had been let down by the amount of protection in his gloves.”If Shoaib Akhtar hits you at 90mph there is nothing you can do,” hereasoned.”You play for ten to 12 years and you get three or four breaks – that is theway it goes.”It is very disappointing. I keep looking at what I am putting on my gloves,but let’s put this in perspective.”Yes, it will take four or five weeks now. But when you bat up the order andyou get seriously good bowlers trying to break your fingers that is part of thegame.”I have been in good form and I was looking forward to keeping batting forlong periods of time.”It is now going to be a very difficult few weeks, but I will just have totry to keep myself in that batting frame of mind.”Hussain’s wife Karen is due to give birth on June 1 so he will be able to attend the birth without worrying about any conflict with his England duties.”The baby’s due in about a week’s time,” said Hussain. “I think my wifewill be the only pleased person in the stands at the moment.”